


Finally Falling

by SometimesAnAries



Series: Learning As We Go [10]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Aftercare, Anal Fingering, BDSM, Ballet, Begging, Best Friends, Blow Jobs, Dom/sub, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Jealous Tom Riddle, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Possessive Tom Riddle, Praise Kink, Rope Bondage, Safewords, Secret Relationship, Slight DomOC, Slight SubTom, Whipping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-02-23 08:13:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23175055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SometimesAnAries/pseuds/SometimesAnAries
Summary: Serina reaches the end of a long journeyTom helps her celebrate
Relationships: Tom Riddle/Original Female Character(s), Walden Macnair/Evan Rosier
Series: Learning As We Go [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1584997
Kudos: 35





	1. Chapter 1

Serina was leaning on the kitchen counter when she heard the front door open. She peeked her head out, and saw it was her roommate, Evan.

"Hey," she called in greeting.

He nodded in response.

Grabbing her glass of water, Serina walked into the living room and rested her forearms against the back of the nearby chair. 

"You home on lunch?" she asked.

Evan shook his head, "Got off early. The big boss had an important meeting, or something."

Serina nodded, sipping her water.

"What about you?" he asked, "Are you off today? You're usually working on Wednesdays."

"I'm going in late," she shrugged, "There's not much point going in for practice anymore. We've got the steps mastered."

"How many more shows do you have left?" Evan asked, "You're almost finished with this one, right?"

Serina nodded, "Three more shows, and I honestly can't wait. I'm so tired."

Evan smiled, "I bet you are. You've been working hard. You deserve a break."

"Thank you," she sighed, "It feels like I've been running myself into the ground lately."

"I have a question," he blurted out, a bit too loudly for how close they were to one another.

"Ok," she nodded, "Shoot."

"Are you...umm…" the man paused, furrowing his brows in an attempt to find the right words, "Have you been…"

Serina looked at him expectantly, wondering what he was trying to say.

Evan took a deep breath and looked up at Serina, "Have you been sleeping with Riddle?"

If Serina had taken a sip of water, she would have spit it out. Luckily, she hadn't, so instead she stood there giving him a shocked look.

"What makes you think that?" she asked.

"Well," he shrugged, "The night you attacked Rookwood, when we came back you two were awfully close. I believe you were laying on him actually. Then, when Chris came beating on the front door, I'm fairly positive you two were flirting in the kitchen. Then a few days ago, you came barging in with him after being attacked by Chris, and you seemed to be completely content with him taking care of you. I also think he was still here when me and Walden got back, but I never saw him, so I can't be sure."

Serina looked away, there was no reason hiding it now. It was bound to come out eventually. She just hadn't figured out a way to tell him and Walden about the two of them.

"We have…" she shrugged, "Once or twice. Well, twice now."

"Are you planning on...forgiving him...or…" Evan left the sentence open, unsure of how to ask her what he wanted to ask.

"Or just mess around with him?" she asked.

"Yea, I guess," he nodded.

"We can't just mess around," she explained, "We established that years ago before we got together originally. I told him we couldn't go back to that."

"So you're planning on taking him back then?" Evan asked, furrowing his brows at her.

Serina looked at her friend from the corner of her eye, a concerned look on her face, "I sort of already have."

"Oh," he breathed, looking away to process the information, "Ok."

"I really wanted to talk to you about all this," she explained, "I was worried about your reaction. I know Walden's going to be pissed. I honestly don't think I can handle it if you are too."

"I'm not mad," he told her, turning back to look her in the eye, "I'm just surprised is all. I mean I...you...Serina, I watched you cry over him, a lot."

"I know," she sighed, slumping against the chair, "I know this is probably really stupid, and that's why I was reluctant to talk to you about it, because I knew you were going to tell me how stupid this decision is. It's just…"

"You love him," Evan cut her off.

Serina opened her mouth, only to close it, then open it again. She hadn't expected that.

"I don't know if I would go that far," she said quietly after a few moments, "I care about him, a lot. I'm attracted to him. I enjoy his company. I've missed the hell out of him. Love though?"

"I wouldn't put up with nearly as much of the bullshit Walden puts me through if I didn't love him," Evan explained, "Maybe you don't love Tom, or maybe you haven't realized you do yet, but if you've taken him back, you're well on your way there."

"I don't know if…" Serina stumbled, "I doubt he even…"

"Oh come on," Evan rolled his eyes, "Tom Riddle his head over heels for you. He's been bending over backwards for you since he saw you walk in that bloody door. He literally brought Rookwood over here to get back at you, because he was so bloody jealous of Eva, it was the only thing he could think of to piss you off as much as you had pissed him off. If he doesn't at least have strong feelings for you, then I'm a fucking muggle."

Serina laughed, the skin at the corners of her eyes crinkling as she did. Evan joined in, realizing how ridiculous he sounded.

"I don't know if I would call it love," Serina explained after they calmed down, "but we're definitely going to try again, and see where it leads us. It might end badly, and if history tells me anything, it probably will, but that's a risk I'm willing to take. I want to try again, I want to give him another chance. Maybe that makes me crazy, but bloody hell, everyone already knew that. I want Tom back. Screw the consequences."

"You've been working your arse off day in and day out for years," Evan sighed, "If anybody deserves a chance at happiness it's you."

"So you're not disappointed in me?" she asked softly.

Evan smiled, "Of course I'm not. I'm happy you had the guts to go after what makes you happy. Your cousin on the other hand…"

"I expect Walden to be absolutely furious," she shrugged, "He'll get over it."

"Do you want me to keep this between us until you've got the chance to talk to him yourself?" Evan asked.

"Yes, please," she nodded, "I'd rather not have him barge into my room demanding I explain myself. I'd like this to be on my terms."

"Then you've got my word this stays between us," Evan nodded firmly.

"Thank you," Serina sighed, "You're honestly the best friend I could ever ask for."

* * *

Serina stepped off of the stage heaving for air. It was the very last show of the Nutcracker and she had given it her all. She wanted to ensure the grande finale was the best she could give, and after tonight's performance, she could say she gave it her very heart and soul. Bolting to her dressing room, Serina pulled the ridiculous tutu off, the rest of her outfit following shortly after. The only thing she had brought with her was her leotard and travel cloak, so she pulled those on as quickly as possible. 

Once she was in a slightly more comfortable state of dress, and not practically gasping for air, Serina wound through the corridors in search of the door that separated her from the VIP guests.

"Serina!"

She turned in the direction of her name, having difficulty discerning who had called it out, considering there were so many bodies scurrying about. Her coach, Mrs. Yakov walked up to her, her arm out. Serina tensed, half expecting the older woman to scold her on a subpar performance.

Mrs. Yakov placed the hand on Serina's shoulder and smiled, "Very good tonight."

Serina balked, not expecting that at all.

"Your best yet," Mrs. Yakov added when Serina didn't respond.

"Thank you," Serina breathed.

"I've been very hard on you," the coach explained, "because I knew you could handle it. I knew you would take that anger, and use it to perfect yourself. I am very proud of you."

"I still sort of hate you," Serina admitted with a smile, "but thank you nonetheless. You have no idea how much your words mean to me."

"If you didn't hate me, I would have failed as your coach," Mrs. Yakov smiled warmly at her.

"Despite the fact that you're a right bitch," Serina chuckled, "You're a bloody good coach."

"Thank you," the woman grinned, "It is why I am still here."

"I have to go," Serina jutted her thumb out behind her, "I have people waiting on me."

"Go," Mrs. Yakov shooed her away, "I hope to see you again next year."

Serina nodded and continued through the mass of people around her. She knew Evan and Walden were waiting for her. They had promised to attend her last performance. Tom had told her he would try his best to make it, but she had no way of knowing if he had or not. The seats were packed full, and it would have taken her all night to locate the man in the crowd.

Turning the corner, Serina pushed through the door leading her to the VIP section.

"Serina!" Evan called, causing her to jerk her head to the right.

Serina ran to him and Walden. When she reached him she jumped up, and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight hug.

"You were so amazing up there!" he laughed, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Thank you," she smiled, feeling a stray tear slide down her cheek, "I'm so fucking tired."

When Evan released her, she turned her attention to Walden and pulled him into a tight hug as well.

"Best performance yet," he complimented, rubbing a hand up and down her back to calm her down.

"My coach told me she was proud of me, and now I'm crying," Serina laughed through her tears.

"I thought you hated her," Tom spoke up from behind her cousin.

Serina opened her eyes, looking over Walden's shoulder to see him standing there, a smile on his face. He was dressed to kill, wearing a tailored suit, and perfectly matched tie. His polished dress shoes tied his whole stunning look together. Releasing Walden, Serina stepped past him and pulled Tom into a hug, burying her head in the crook of his neck. He wrapped his arms around her, pressing his chest to hers, and pulling her up onto her tiptoes.

"I'm glad you could make it," she said softly.

"I couldn't miss a performance like that," he smiled.

Slowly, Serina released Tom, wanting nothing more than to kiss him, but knowing her cousin was still unaware of their relationship. She didn't want to have that conversation right now, not when she was so emotionally unstable. It was obvious Tom wanted the same, but was holding himself back. 

Serina caught sight of a familiar body from the corner of her eye, and turned to see Eva walking past her, her head held high and blatantly ignoring her. She hadn't spoken to Eva since she had decided to get back with Tom. When she told Eva how she felt about Tom, and how she wanted to give their relationship another chance, Eva had all but cut her off. 

Well, Eva had yelled at her, confessed her own emotions for Serina, then cut her off. Serina had been wanting to talk to the girl ever since their argument, but Eva had been doing a damn good job of avoiding her. This would most likely be the last chance Serina would have to talk to her without having to blatantly stalk her, and corner her in a dark alley somewhere. She didn't want it to resort to that, but she also didn't want to leave without at least trying to talk to Eva one last time.

"I'll be right back," Serina said shortly before walking off without further explanation.

Serina stopped behind the girl, who apparently hadn't noticed her yet.

"Hey," Serina said, gaining Eva's attention.

Eva turned and glared at her, rolling her eyes before turning to walk away. Serina reached out, grabbing onto her wrist and not allowing her to get away.

"Please talk to me," Serina pleaded, "Please don't let it end like this."

Eva stopped trying to get away from her, but refused to turn and face her, so Serina walked around her until she was standing at the girl's front.

"I know you're upset with me," Serina explained, "and I know you have feelings for me that I can't reciprocate. That doesn't mean I don't care about you. I don't want to walk away from here tonight knowing you hate me, and knowing I did nothing to stop it."

"I don't hate you," Eva whispered, eyes fixed to the carpeted floor between them.

"You are upset with me though," Serina told her.

"Yes," Eva nodded, "I am upset with you."

"What can I do to change that?" Serina asked.

"You can't reciprocate feelings for me, but you can for him?" she asked softly, her voice sounding on the verge of cracking.

"I can't control my feelings for him, just like you can't control your feelings for me," Serina explained.

"So what we had meant nothing," Eva whispered.

"No," Serina said firmly, "It didn't mean nothing. I enjoyed my time with you, and I will never forget you. Eva, you mean more to me than you realize."

"Then why…" Eva turned her eyes up to Serina.

"Because he already has my heart," she said quietly, "He's always had it, even if I didn't know it."

Serina reached up and brushed her fingers over Eva's cheek, placing soft pressure on her jawline to silently ask her to look up. Eva allowed it, meeting Serina's eyes. She looked just as emotional as Serina felt, and it hurt to see her like that. Serina didn't want to be the reason Eva was upset. Tonight was supposed to be filled with happiness. They had made it to the end, and Eva had accomplished so much over the time span of this production. It shouldn't end this way for her. Serina didn't want it to end this way for her.

"He had better treat you right this time," Eva growled.

Serina smiled, happy to see a bit of the regular fire burning in the back of girl's eyes.

"If he doesn't…" Serina started.

"I will fucking kill him," Eva cut her off, "You don't deserve what he's put you through."

"And I don't deserve you," Serina said quietly, pulling Eva into a hug, "I don't deserve the kindness you've shown me. You deserve better than me. So much better."

"Sometimes we don't want better," Eva grumbled, "Sometimes we want the people that will end  up hurting us."

"We can't both be toxic," Serina chuckled, "Someone's got to get their life together."

"Take care of yourself, Serina," Eva ordered.

Serina released the girl, meeting her eyes, "You too."

Leaning in, she placed a kiss on Eva's forehead, the simple notion silently closing what she had opened with Eva. Closing the relationship the two had had, even if it had never become official. It had, in fact, been a relationship.

"Goodbye, Eva," Serina whispered.

"Goodbye, Serina," Eva said, equally as quiet.

Returning to her group, Serina ignored the looks from her guests, especially the burning one from Tom. He had reason to be jealous, sure, but she had chosen him, so he could relax and quit looking at her like a dragon eyeing its next meal.

"Sorry," she apologized, "Just had to handle something."

"I thought you two weren't talking," Evan commented.

"We weren't," Serina brushed it off, "It's fine now. Shall we go?"

"Are you not doing anything with your coworkers tonight?" Evan asked.

"No," Serina shrugged, "Nothing I'm aware of."

"Do you have any other plans for this evening?" Tom asked.

Serina shook her head, "No. Why?"

"I'd like to show you something, unless…" Tom turned his attention to her roommates, "you two had already made plans with her…"

Evan shook his head, "No, nothing."

"Why?" Walden asked, furrowing his brows at his boss.

"Because I plan to steal your cousin away for the evening," Tom explained without hesitation, "If that is ok with you."

Walden eyed the man warily, wondering what he had planned for Serina, but didn't question it further. Serina could tell by the look in his eyes, she would definitely be questioned about this tomorrow.

When nobody made an attempt to stop him, Tom turned and offered his arm to Serina, "Shall we?"

Serina hooked her arm in his, "Lead the way, I guess."

* * *

The pair landed on soft grass in what looked to be a dark field. Before Serina had much of a chance to look around, she felt Tom's hand on her cheek. She looked up just in time for him to press his lips to hers. Serina responded with a surprised gasp, returning the kiss she had so desperately wanted to take earlier.

"Sorry," he breathed once the kiss was broken, "I've been wanting to do that all night."

Serina smiled, "So have I."

Turning away, Serina finally got the chance to take in more of her surroundings.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"Little Hangleton," he answered, "A muggle town."

Serina wrinkled her nose at the realization, "Why are we in a muggle town?"

Tom motioned to a large manor on the outskirts of the town, "This is where I live."

Turning her gaze to the manor, Serina was admittedly impressed. It was a large manor on quite a bit of land. The only downside seemed to be that it was the focal point of a muggle town. It was the largest building she could see, and it was quite obviously built by muggles based on the architecture.

"Wow," she breathed, "I'm impressed to say the least, but I must ask…"

"Why do I live in a manor in a town full of muggles?" he asked with a smirk.

"Precisely," she nodded.

Tom led her through the front gates onto the property, strolling casually up the pathway to the building.

"It was my father's," he explained, "It was...gifted to me upon his death."

"Gifted?" she asked.

"More or less," he shrugged.

Serina realized in that moment, that she didn't know much about Tom's past. She had never asked, and he had never seemed to walk to open up about it. She knew he was a half-blood, and hearing this, she could only assume his father had been the muggle in the equation. Beyond that, Serina knew very little about Tom's past.

"I didn't realize…" Serina fumbled over her words, "I don't ever remember you talking about your family."

"I didn't know them," he said simply, "There's not much to talk about."

Serina got the feeling he didn't want to talk about it now either, but she needed to know more, even if it was just a little more.

"If you didn't know them, how did you end up inheriting the family home?" she asked.

They reached the front door, and Tom unlocked it, leading Serina inside.

"I made sure I was written in the Will before I killed them," Tom explained.

Tom's casual tone made Serina trip over front step, and she almost fell right into the house. Tom caught her before she could tumble to the ground.

"Sorry," she chuckled, "That just sort of caught me off guard."

"I didn't mean to startle you," he said calmly.

"It's ok," she shrugged, "Did you kill your father because he was a muggle?"

"Yes," he nodded, "That, and because he left my mother to die upon finding out she was a witch. Simply put, my father didn't deserve to live, and neither did his muggle family. In death, he serves a better purpose."

"What purpose is that?" she asked.

"I made a horcrux upon his death," Tom explained.

Serina couldn't help but chuckle. The whole conversation was surreal compared to how her life had been over the past few years, but speaking about such things with Tom seemed to be so natural. It was natural that Tom killed people. It was natural that he made horcruxes. If she had been speaking with anybody else, Serina would be shocked by what she was hearing, but with Tom, it was just a regular conversation.

"Another?" Serina asked, "How many horcruxes do you need, Tom?"

"I have three at the moment," he eyed her with a smile, "I plan to have six, not including the piece of soul I plan to keep for myself."

"So seven pieces in total," she mused, "A strong number."

"My thoughts exactly," he nodded, "but enough about that, this is my home."

Serina looked up, taking in the view around her. It was a beautiful entrance, with a large hanging chandelier over a grand staircase. The staircase was a deep mahogany, leading up to the second floor. Just to her right stood a black piano resting on a large Slytherin green area rug, a small handful of black leather armchairs scattered about the room.

"Would you like a tour?" Tom asked with a smile, seeing that the woman beside him was thoroughly impressed.

"Maybe not a full tour," she grinned, "This place looks massive."

"We'll keep it short and sweet then," Tom laced his fingers in hers, "I'll show you the important parts."

Leading her through the main room, Tom turned to the left and took her through an archway to a different room.

"This is the dining room," he explained, showing off a large wooden dining table with ten chairs surrounding it, "The kitchens are just to the right of this. I usually allow the House elf to maintain them."

"You have a House elf?" she asked.

"Yes," he nodded, "I don't have time to keep up with cleaning. I'm far too busy for that. I'm surprised you don't have one."

"I don't trust House elves," Serina shrugged.

"Oh," he stopped for a moment, "I'll tell mine to keep its distance then."

Continuing on, Tom led Serina up the staircase and turned down one of the extensive hallways. Stopping at one of the many closed doors, Tom opened it to reveal a rather large bedroom.

"This is my room," he explained, "Some of the others are furnished, but I have no need to keep them all fully equipped. I don't usually keep company overnight."

A King sized four poster bed adorned with Slytherin green covers dominated the left of the room. The floor was a rich cherry hardwood that was polished to perfection. Just ahead were two glass doors leading to a balcony overlooking the woods beyond the town. The right of the room held a wooden desk, and rather comfortable looking chair. Papers were stacked in neat piles at the edge of the desk, an inkwell and some extra parchment laid out at the front of it. An open door beside the desk indicated a connecting bathroom. An armoire pressed against the wall to their left, and two matching bedside tables framed the bed. 

"I'd like for you to stay with me tonight," he whispered as he came to stand behind her.

"I'd love to," she responded with a smile.

Taking a step forward, Tom led her further into the room and closed the door behind them. He wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. Serina turned her head to look at him from the corner of her eye.

"What's that look for?" he asked with a devious grin.

"I'm trying to figure out what you're planning," she admitted.

"Who says I'm planning anything?" he asked with a raised brow.

"Why else am I here?" she grinned.

"Maybe I simply want to spend more time with you, now that I've won you back," he shrugged, "Maybe I want to tie you to one of my bedposts and whip you until you're screaming my name. Maybe I want to bend you over my desk and fuck your brains out. Maybe I want to take you out on my balcony and force you to remain quiet while I eat your cunt lest the townspeople hear you."

Serina bit her lip, liking the sound of everything he had just said.

"Maybe I'll leave that entirely up to you, and let you choose which one you want most," he purred in her ear.

Serina inhaled sharply, and rolled her head back onto his shoulder.

"I want you to whip me," she sighed, "but how will you do that with no whip?"

"You don't believe I have a whip?" Tom smirked.

Serina looked up at him from the corner of her eye, "Do you have a whip?"

"Yes and no," he stated with a dark chuckle, "I don't have just any whip. I do have your whip, though. Our whip."

Serina furrowed her brows and lifted her head from his shoulder to get a better look at him. A fire burned behind his irises, and his eyes held a bright, excited glint.

"You…" she started, "You still have it?"

Tom nodded, "I do."

Suddenly, Serina felt just as excited as Tom looked. She hadn't been whipped in years, and hadn't realized how much she missed it until now. Tom was the only one that could do it right. The only one who could have her on the brink of orgasm with nothing more than the sting of the flogger.

"Show me," she said quietly.

It wasn't that she didn't trust Tom when he said he still had the whip. It was simply that she was having trouble comprehending the fact that he had kept it for so many years. She needed to see the leather with her own eyes to believe it.

Stepping past Serina, Tom walked over to his armoire and opened the bottom drawer. He pulled the flogger out by its leather handle, the long black tendrils unfurling from their resting place. He placed the item on the edge of the bed, and reached back into the drawer. He pulled out a length of neatly coiled rope, and set it beside the whip on the bed. Turning his eyes back to her, he silently motioned for her to come to him with a single finger. Obediently, Serina walked over to him, waiting patiently for his next order.

"Strip for me," he ordered, his voice taking on the authoritative tone she hadn't realized she missed until now.

Serina shrugged off her travel cloak, and reached up to pull the straps of her leotard down. Pulling the tight fabric down, Serina bent at the waist and reached all the way down to her toes without bending her knees. Still bent over, Serina tilted her head up and looked at Tom, who was watching her every move with greedy eyes. She straightened back up slowly before kicking the fabric aside, and standing before him completely naked. 

"Grab the post at the foot of the bed," he ordered, his voice sounding strained as he did.

Serina did as she was told, walking over to the bedpost closest to her and wrapping her fingers around it. Tom walked over, and repositioned her hands to the spot he wanted them before stepping away and grabbing the rope. Serina waited patiently for him to unravel the rope, keeping her hands in place and remaining still for him. She jumped a bit when she felt him press against her back, feeling his hands on hers shortly after. Looking up, she watched as he secured the rope to each of her wrists before wrapping it around the smooth wood.

"Is that too tight?" he asked softly in her ear.

Serina wriggled her fingers and moved her wrists experimentally, "No."

Tom reached down and placed a sharp smack to her right arsecheek, causing her to yelp.

"No what?" he asked.

Serina bit her lip, "No, My Lord."

"Good girl," he purred, "I like the sound of my title on your lips."

Tom stepped away, leaving the bound girl feeling cold at the loss of his warmth. He grabbed onto the whip, and took his place behind her. It was silent for well over a minute, and Serina couldn't help herself as she turned her head to the side, needing visual confirmation that he was still there.

"Face forward," he ordered sharply, his voice sounding almost angry.

Serina's head jerked to the center, her eyes focusing on the wooden post in front of her.

"Tell me," he said a bit more calmly, "Where did you get those scars?"

"Which ones?" she asked, knowing her body had many scars.

"The ones on your back," he stated shortly.

Serina moved to turn her head again, but remembered his order and remained still.

"Can you be more specific, My Lord?" she asked softly. 

She heard the sharp click of his polished shoes meeting the hardwood floor as he took a few steps towards her. He pressed his forefinger to her skin, and traced a line from her right shoulder blade diagonally down to her spine.

"This," he said simply.

The pad of his thumb pressed into her left hip, running a line horizontally to the small of her back.

"And this."

Just above the mark on her left hip, Tom traced another one running vertically upwards to her ribcage.

"And this."

Serina smiled, knowing exactly where she had gotten those scars. She was surprised he had forgotten.

"Oh," she breathed, "Those."

"Care to explain?" he asked, and Serina could hear the jealousy in his voice.

"Those came from you," Serina explained.

"Me?" Tom asked, "How could they have possibly come from me?"

"Do you remember when I asked you to make me bleed?" she asked, a smile on her lips, "The night at my cousin's house?"

Tom was silent for several seconds, trying to recall the incident she spoke of. When the memory resurfaced in his mind, he furrowed his brows.

"That was several years ago," he said quietly, "There's no way…"

"No?" she asked, "Some of those cuts were quite deep."

Tom was, once again, silent for some time. His eyes focused on the scars, the memory now fresh in his mind. Some of the cuts had, in fact, been deep. He remembered tending to them, covering them in ointment. The fact that the marks he left on her body were still present surprised him. All these years he thought she had forgotten about him, but in reality, there was no way she could forget. Not with the scars of their past etched into her body. It was just another reminder that she was his, in every way imaginable.

Serina shifted from one foot to the next, getting uncomfortable with being still for so long. The movement must have shocked Tom back to reality, because his hand dropped from her back, and rested at his side. She heard him turn on his heel and take a few steps away from her, returning to his previous place.

"Are you ready?" he asked, his voice returning to his normal authoritative tone.

"Yes, My Lord," Serina responded obediently. 

"Safeword?" he asked.

"Blueberry," she recited.

Serina thought she heard a small chuckle from him, but couldn't be sure. Shortly after, a soft blow landed on her left arsecheek. She jumped, more out of surprise than actual pain. He was starting out slow, building her up to what was to come. Silently, she was thankful for that. It had been awhile, and she doubted she could handle him starting out at full force.

The next blow landed across her lower back, the force just a bit more than before. The tendrils stung as they made impact with her hip, and Serina inhaled sharply. Tom swung again, and Serina heard the whistle of the flogger before it landed on her left shoulder blade. Her back arched at the pain, and she bit back a moan.  Serina jumped, a moan slipping from her lips as a sharp blow landed on her upper thigh, just below her arse. Tom hummed behind her, no doubt enjoying the sounds he was pulling from her. The next blow landed just a hair higher than the previous, some tendrils grazing the still sensitive skin. Serina hissed through clenched teeth, tensing her muscles at the pain.

Tom stopped his blows in favor of walking up to her and running a smooth palm across the welts that had formed along her skin. They were beautiful contrasted against her milky white skin. He took note of which ones were an angry red, and which ones could handle more abuse. 

"Such a good girl," he purred in her ear.

Serina shivered at the praise, "Thank you, My Lord."

Returning to his original spot, Tom continued his assault. He swung hard, the impact landing on her right shoulder and swiping diagonally down her back. She arched, and let out a strangled moan followed by heavy panting. Tom only gave her a few seconds to recover before swinging again, this time landing along her left arsecheek. Serina whimpered, slumping slightly as the assault overwhelmed her senses. 

Serina felt her legs shake as Tom landed blow after blow on her back, arse, and thighs. Her skin was on fire, and her thighs were soaked in her juices. Her body remembered all too well how sweet the sting of the flogger was, and she was aching for more. When the tendrils smacked into the soft, reddened skin of her upper thighs, Serina felt her knees give out, and she gripped onto the post as best she could with sweaty, numb hands. The rope tightened around her wrists as she slid down slightly, and Serina ignored the pain in her wrists in favor of relishing in the pain in her thighs.

"I will not continue until you regain your footing," Tom told her matter-of-factly.

Serina planted her feet on the hardwood floor and forced herself to stand on shaky legs. She slid her arms back up to their original location, releasing the pressure built up on her wrists by the rope. She waited several seconds for Tom to continue, needing to feel the whip on her skin again.

"Are you ready?" Tom asked.

"Yes, My Lord," Serina responded instantly.

The flogger flew through the air and landed hard on the center of Serina's back, forcing her to arch sharply into the bedpost. Serina squeezed her thighs together, begging for some sort of friction. Tom must have noticed, because the next blow landed across her arse, some tendrils grazing her cunt. Serina moaned loudly, the mixture of pain and pleasure pushing her right to the edge.

"Are you about to cum?" Tom asked, his tone almost conversational.

"Yes, My Lord," Serina whimpered.

"Do you need me to fuck you, or can you cum from me whipping you alone?" he asked.

"Please don't stop whipping me, My Lord," Serina all but cried out.

"Well," Tom smiled, "Who am I to deny such a request when you've been so very good for me?"

Tom landed one hard blow after the other on Serina's skin, using every bit of strength he had to ensure she felt every bit. He didn't give her time to recover between blows, and watched as she slipped further and further down the post until she was hanging just by her wrists, her legs giving out completely underneath her. He watched as her body tensed after a particularly well placed blow, her mouth hung open in a silent scream as she came. 

Tom placed the flogger on the floor beside him with a soft thunk before walking up to the girl. He wrapped an arm around her waist, and hoisted her up so her hands could regain circulation. She hissed underneath him, and he was sure it was due to his rough clothing against her abused skin. He made quick work of the bindings, freeing her wrists from the post. Stepping to the right, Tom did his best to softly place her on the bed face down, helping her further onto the bed so she wouldn't slide off once he stepped away. 

When he was comfortable with her position on his bed, Tom walked back to his armoire and opened the bottom drawer, picking out a bottle of ointment, and a bottle of soothing lotion. Kicking off his shoes, he crawled onto the bed, and sat back on his heels beside her as he looked her over. Her back was a mess, to say the least. It was mostly covered in red, angry welts, but some had opened up from his assault, and were lightly oozing blood. 

He got to work, focusing on the more serious wounds first, covering them in ointment with as gentle a touch as he could muster. When he was satisfied with those, he moved on to the welts that had survived the whipping, and covered them in lotion.  Serina was surprisingly docile through the whole ordeal, and he looked down, half expecting to find her asleep. He met her half lidded, tired eyes, and smiled.

"How are you feeling?" he asked softly.

Serina smiled and closed her eyes, "Mazing."

Tom chuckled softly, "Sleep, darling. You sound awfully tired."

Serina reached out and ran her hand along his inner thigh, her fingers grazing his hard cock through his trousers. Tom hissed and looked down, his eyes locating the guilty hand. He grabbed her arm a bit too roughly, and pulled it up closer to his face. It was hard to see in the dim lighting, but upon further inspection, Tom saw a deep gouge in Serina's wrist. Glancing over, he saw a matching injury on her opposite wrist as well.

"Bloody hell," Tom sighed, "I'm so very sorry."

Grabbing the ointment, Tom got to work spreading it onto Serina's wrist. She hissed slightly when he made contact with it, the injury no doubt being quite painful.

"It's fine," she mumbled through the sheets.

"This most certainly is not fine," Tom said softly, "I'll have to be sure to purchase a softer rope for next time."

Serina let out a tired chuckle, "S' long as it's not a softer whip."

Tom grabbed Serina's other wrist and repeated the action of spreading ointment over the injury. The small cuts on her back would heal with no issues, but her wrists could very well get worse without proper treatment. 

"Stay right there," Tom ordered, sliding off the bed.

He walked through the bedroom to his bathroom, and located the roll of gauze he kept under his sink. The movement reminded him how achingly hard he was, and he told himself he would have to handle that once Serina fell asleep. He would love nothing more than to fuck another orgasm out of her, make her scream his name, and beg for his cock, but unfortunately, in her current state, that wasn't going to be an option. He would have to resort to his own hand this evening, and hope she wasn't too sore come morning for him to pull what he wanted from her. 

Returning to the bed, Tom wrapped the gauze around each wrist softly, doing his best to not irritate the skin any further than it already was. When he was finished bandaging her up, he looked down at her face to see her eyes closed completely. Her chest rose and fell evenly, and Tom knew Serina had fallen into a deep, hopefully comfortable, sleep. He grabbed the thick blanket and pulled it up to cover her so she wouldn't get cold in the night, before leaning down and placing a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Sleep well, my love," Tom whispered.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Serina finishes what she started the night before  
> Tom allows her to cross a boundary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello fellow readers!  
> I just want to start out by saying thank you so much to everyone who has read this story, and thank you to those who haven't completely abandoned me as a writer. I promise you this story is not abandoned. I have a clear end in mind, and at least two chapters past this one written, though they are nowhere near being ready to post. It has been a rough year for me, and posting has been difficult. I beg you all to please bear with me. I don't know when the next chapter will be posted, but I promise you all that I will strive to not take such a huge break between chapters. I want to finish this story, and I want to give you all the ending you've been waiting for. We aren't there yet, but there is a light at the end of this tunnel and I hope you all are able to be patient with me as I work on this story. Thank you again for your patience and for all who have left kudos or commented. They mean the world to me and they keep me going when it feels like I'll never get the chance to write again.  
> Thank you, thank you, thank you.  
> I hope you all enjoy, and I hope to have the next part of this story up soon!

Tom awoke to find his bed unpleasantly empty. He reached out, seeing if he could feel Serina underneath the thick blanket, but returned empty handed. Rolling out of bed, he located a pair of sweatpants before venturing out of his room. He hadn't shown Serina much more than a small portion of his house last night, so he wouldn't be surprised if she was exploring the rest of it now. He only hoped she hadn't decided to return home without saying goodbye.

  
  


Serina closed the book in her hand, setting it back in place before reaching for another. Tom's library was extensive, and she would have to ask him where he acquired all of these books. Most of them were on the Dark arts, something that didn't surprise her in the least. Serina had, of course, read up on the Dark arts over the years, but she had never been able to find such a wide array of options until now. It had her inner Ravenclaw brimming with excitement.

She hadn't brought a change of clothes with her to his house, and she had no intentions of putting her leotard back on, so instead she had located his white button down shirt from last night and thrown that on. She hadn't bothered to button the front, knowing it was just the two of them in the house, save for the House elf of course, and she didn't expect to see it.

The sound of someone clearing their throat in the doorway gained Serina's attention, and she turned her head to look behind her. Tom leaned against the frame, his arms folded over his chest as he watched her. Her eyes raked over his shirtless form, taking in the sight before her.

"I was wondering where you went," Tom stated, his eyes venturing from her face down her torso and back up.

"You didn't tell me you had such a nice library," she explained.

Tom pushed off of the frame and strolled over to her. 

"It didn't seem important to mention last night," he shrugged, "Do you like it?"

"Very much so," she said quietly when he stopped behind her.

Tom made sure not to press himself to her back, knowing the skin was most likely still sensitive. He placed his hands on the shelf in front of her, peeking over her shoulder to see what book had caught her interest. He barely caught sight of a title that read "Poisons and When to Use Them" when she closed the book with a soft pop. 

"Are you enjoying my shirt?" he asked, changing the subject.

"I am," she nodded, "It smells nice."

Tom leaned down, inhaling the scent of his shirt. It smelled of him, and faintly of the cologne he wore to her performance, but he could smell her as well. It was a nice addition, one he wanted more of.

"It does now, yes," Tom purred.

Serina sighed and tilted her head as Tom placed soft kisses to her neck. She set the book down on the shelf in front of her, silently telling herself she would have to come back to it once Tom was no longer distracting her. He stopped when his lips met her ear, hovering over it.

"How's your back?" he whispered.

Serina rolled her shoulders, wincing a bit from the movement.

"Sore," she admitted.

"And your wrists?" he asked.

Looking down at the gauze wrapped around each wrist, Serina shrugged, "About the same."

"I am terribly sorry about that," he apologized.

"Don't be," Serina turned her head to meet his eyes, "I enjoyed every bit of last night. Safewords exist for a reason, remember?"

"Yes but…" Tom started.

"I'm the one who should be sorry," Serina said, turning to face him fully, "I didn't mean for the evening to end up so...one-sided."

"Last night was meant to be all about you, darling," Tom smiled, "There's no need for you to worry about me."

"Still," Serina reached out and palmed him through the soft fabric, "I'd like to repay the favor."

Tom's inhaled at the contact, "I don't think you're in any state to do so. I wouldn't want to irritate your sensitive skin."

Serina grabbed Tom's arm with one hand and planted her other on his hip. In one smooth motion, she reversed their roles and pushed him into the bookshelf. She pressed her chest to his, her mouth hovering inches away from his lips.

"You underestimate me, Riddle," she purred.

"Show me what you're capable of then," he whispered.

Placing a brief kiss on his lips, Serina got to work. She moved her lips down to his neck, alternating between kisses and nips on the exposed flesh. Moving further downward, Serina slid her tongue around an exposed nipple until the bud perked up. Cutting her eyes up to meet his, she bit down, and watched as his mouth hung open and he gasped at the pain. She placed a soft kiss on the reddened flesh before continuing on. Placing wet kisses along his abdomen, Serina stopped when she reached the top of his sweatpants. Her right hand reached up and palmed his now hard cock through the fabric. He groaned at the friction, his hips bucking slightly. 

Reaching up, she pulled at the sweatpants, tugging them down to his knees and freeing his cock from its confines. Tom hissed as she wrapped her fingers around him, giving him a few strokes. When her tongue darted out from between her lips, slithering along the head of his cock, he reached out and tangled his fingers in her hair. Serina held eye contact as she wrapped her lips around his cock, sucking him in. His other hand met his first as she swallowed him down. She pulled off of him and tongued just his head, working the rest of his cock with her hand. When she swallowed him down again, he felt his knees buckle. Tom released her hair and gripped onto the shelving behind him firmly.

"Fuck," he cursed, chuckling breathily.

Serina pulled her mouth off of him and looked up with an amused smile.

"Do you need to sit down for this?" she asked.

Tom nodded, "I think so."

Serina moved back and gave him the space to step around her. Tom walked over to the nearby armchair and dropped down into it. He slumped in the chair, his arms resting on the sides and legs spread for her. He motioned for her to come to him with a single digit. 

Dropping down onto her hands and knees, Serina crawled seductively over to where Tom sat. She stopped in front of him, sitting back on her heels, and sliding her hands up his thighs. His hand returned to her hair as she wrapped her lips around the head of his cock once again. Sinking down onto him, Serina set up a steady pace. She pumped in time with her mouth, alternating between stroking his cock and playing with his balls. Tom groaned as he watched his cock disappear between her lips. His head dropped back and eyes fluttered closed, enjoying the feeling of her sucking him.

Suddenly, he jerked, his eyes shooting open at an unexpected sensation. Serina pulled off of him, eyeing him curiously. Her forefinger had slid between his cheeks and experimentally probed at his hole. 

"Is that a hard stop?" Serina asked seriously.

"I…" Tom stumbled, forcing his mind to start working again after going foggy with pleasure, "I wouldn't say that. It's just...do you even know what you're doing?"

Serina chuckled, raising a brow at him, "Are you asking me if I know how to finger a man's arsehole?"

"Yea," Tom smirked, "That's exactly what I'm asking."

"Then yes," she nodded, "I know what I'm doing. The question is, is that something you want? Because honestly, I would love to watch you come completely undone under my touch, but we both know I can accomplish that with my mouth alone, if going further isn't something that interests you."

"It's not that I'm not interested," he explained, "I'm more surprised that you are."

"Surprised?" Serina chuckled, "Tom, I would fuck you if you wanted me to."

"I don't think I would go quite that far," Tom smiled.

"No?" she asked, "Not to bring up a sensitive subject with your cock in my hand, but I know you're not a virgin."

"Can't say I've ever had a woman do it," he told her.

Serina licked up his length with a chuckle, "Women do everything better."

"Go ahead then," he purred, biting his lip, "Show me how much better you think you are."

Serina darted forward and brushed her lips over his, "I'll blow your fucking mind if you let me, Riddle."

"Actions speak louder than words, Selwyn," Tom hissed before stealing a quick kiss.

Leaning back, Tom looked down at her expectantly. Serina sank back down onto his cock, swallowing him down her throat. Tom tensed, but kept his composure, making the girl work for it. With a quick nonverbal spell, Serina lubed a finger on her right hand and, once again, probed at Tom's hole. He involuntarily clenched, but soon relaxed to her touch. She slid her finger down to the knuckle, and stopped, giving him time to adjust to the intrusion. 

Serina made sure to continue working his cock slowly as she began pumping in and out of him. Tom was tight lipped above her, not giving her the pleasure of hearing his enjoyment. Her words had made him feel competitive, and he wanted her to earn his enjoyment. 

When she felt he was relaxed enough, Serina added a second finger, stretching him around her digits. Tom inhaled sharply, gripping the arm of the chair tightly. She took it slow, allowing him to adjust once again.

Soon, she was pumping in and out of him in time with her mouth. He still hadn't made a sound, but he was breathing heavily, and his eyes were half lidded as he watched her. Suddenly, he gasped, and Serina paused.

"F...Fuck," he moaned.

Pulling off of him, Serina smirked.

"There?" she asked, probing the spot she had just grazed.

Tom clenched his jaw tightly, a groan still slipping through his lips. Digging her fingers into his prostate, Tom was unable to stop the loud moan from ripping through his lips. Serina sucked his head through her lips and focused on the sensitive skin there. She pumped her fingers steadily, grazing the spot with each motion. Tom was moaning between heavy pants, his fingers white knuckled on the arm of the chair as he attempted to contain himself. Pulling off of his cock, Serina licked down his length and sucked a ball into her mouth. Tom's head dropped back, all inhibition gone as he groaned. 

When Serina returned to his cock, she swallowed him down, focusing her fingers on his prostate as she did. Tom rocked his hips in time with her fingers, chasing that sweet feeling that had him seeing stars. Sliding out slightly, Serina dared to add a third finger. She tongued his cock as she did, gauging his response. When he didn't protest it, she buried the third finger in him, and pumped them in and out.

Tom reached up and tangled his fingers in her hair. He attempted to bury his cock down her throat, trying to take control. She grabbed his wrist with her free hand and pinned it to the side of the chair. Pulling off of him, she glared up at him.

"I am in charge right now," she growled, "not you."

Tom bared his teeth, a retort on his tongue, but he never had the chance to say it as she dug her fingers into his prostate, replacing his thought with a deep moan.

"Understand?" she quipped.

"Bloody hell," was all he managed in response.

"Riddle," she snapped, digging her nails into his still pinned wrist, "Am I in charge right now?"

"For now," he growled.

She thrust hard into him, causing him to buck his hips involuntarily.

"Keep it up and I'll edge you until you're begging me to cum," she threatened.

"Don't you dare," he hissed through clenched teeth, "I'm so close."

"Then say it," she demanded.

"You're in charge right now," he grit out, holding back a moan as she pumped him relentlessly.

"That's what I thought," she smirked.

Before Tom could come up with a witty response, she sucked him down again, setting up a fast pace on his cock that was matched with her fingers in his arse. He clenched around her, and she felt him twitch in her mouth. She knew he was teetering on the edge, and angled her thrusts just right for him.

"Fuck...shit…" he managed between moans, "Serina…"

She swallowed him down her throat, her nose touching the base of his cock as she dug her fingers into him. He pulsed inside her mouth, cumming down her throat with her name on his lips. 

When she pulled off of him, she made sure not to spill a drop of his seed, swallowing him down completely. She removed her fingers from his arse slowly, ensuring she didn't hurt him. Looking up, she met his half lidded, spent gaze. He was still trying to catch his breath, and he sported a small smile on his lips. He motioned for her to come to him, and Serina climbed into his lap. When he leaned in for a kiss, she stopped him.

"I taste like you cock," she explained with a grin.

"I would hope so, considering I've just cum in your mouth," he smiled.

Closing the gap, Tom placed a kiss to her lips, unfazed by the taste of himself on her.

"Come back to bed," he said softly.

"Back to bed?" she asked, looking at the clock, "Tom, it's already 9:00."

"No," he shook his head, "It's only 9:00. How long have you been up?"

"A couple hours," she shrugged, "I'm hungry. I don't want to go back to bed."

"Then I'll have the House elf bring us breakfast in bed," he compromised, "I'm not ready to start my day yet. I haven't woken up next to you this morning, and I'd like to change that."

"Fine," Serina huffed dramatically, "but I want waffles."

"Then waffles it is," he smiled.

By the time they returned to the bedroom, there were two trays with Belgian waffles waiting for them on Tom's bed. Serina could only assume the House elf had heard their conversation, as she didn't remember Tom ever summoning it. The thought made her a bit uncomfortable, knowing the creature had been nearby the entire time, but she forced herself to not think about it. 

Tom started to crawl into bed, having every intention of eating waffles in bed. Serina, on the other hand, had no intention of doing that.

"You don't actually intend to eat in bed, do you?" she asked.

Tom furrowed his brows at her, "I do, actually."

"No," she shook her head, "You'll get crumbs everywhere and I won't be able to get back to sleep."

"I'm not a messy eater, Serina," he countered.

"I'm not saying you are," she stated, "I'm saying it's inevitable. I don't eat food in bed. It's an unspoken rule of mine."

"I can just have the sheets changed once we're done," he said.

"You could," she agreed, picking up her tray and walking to the edge of the bed, "but that takes time."

She sat cross legged on the floor at the foot of the bed and began pouring syrup on her waffle.

"So does moving breakfast to the floor," he huffed, picking up his tray and following her lead, "Honestly, we could have just had breakfast at the table like civilized people." 

"You're the one that wanted to go back to bed," she told him.

"I do want to go back to bed, but instead I'm sitting on the floor eating waffles," he sighed, "I don't even know why I'm allowing this to happen. It's my bed, in my house. You shouldn't have any say in the matter."

"Yet here we are," Serina motioned to the space between them.

"I don't remember you being this bossy before," Tom stated.

"You're remembering someone else then," she shrugged, "I've always found a way to make you do what I want you to do."

"I wouldn't go quite that far," Tom scoffed, popping a piece of waffle in his mouth.

"No?" she asked.

"Name one time you made me do something I didn't want to do," he stated.

"You went a week without sex," she responded simply.

"That doesn't count," he told her, "I wanted that."

"You did not want to go a week without sex," she chuckled.

"No," he agreed, "but I wanted you, and that was a necessary sacrifice. I agreed to those terms."

"Ok," she nodded, thinking about another time, "There was one time, maybe a month into us hooking up, that you walked in on me showering and expected to just have your way."

Tom sighed, knowing where this was going.

"I remember you undressed and slid into the shower, trying to act all smooth, like you do," she smirked, "You really thought you were going to get some, do you remember?"

"Unfortunately," he huffed. It was the first time she'd turned him down, back when he had no idea if she was going to let him come onto her or not. That was when he learned that she wasn't as easily swayed as the other girls.

"I hexed the shit out of you," she chuckled, "You didn't talk to me for weeks."

"How is that considered a time I did what you wanted me to do?" he asked.

"I wanted you to leave me alone," she explained, "I owed Mulciber for a shitload of coke, and I needed you to get off my arse so I could repay him. You did exactly what I needed you to do. You left me alone." 

"Ugh," Tom cringed, "I forgot about you and Mulciber."

"Really?" she raised a brow at him, "I would expect you to never forget Mulciber. He's still one of your Knights, right?"

"He is," Tom nodded, "and I had done a good job at forgetting. Anyone else I should know about?"

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Have you fucked any of my Knights that I don't know about?" he asked.

"Have you?" she countered.

"You know who I've fucked," Tom stated, "The question is, who have you fucked?"

"You're asking this now?" Serina asked with a chuckle, "Why didn't you ask this question five years ago when the answer mattered?"

"I never thought to ask," he eyed her curiously, "I just assumed Mulciber was the only one, but by the way you're acting, I think it's safe to assume I'm wrong."

"There's no reason for you to need to know that besides your own morbid curiosity," she told him.

"Who else have you fucked?" he asked again.

The question came out stern, but not demanding. He knew the tone he was using in hopes of getting an answer from her.

"Don't use that Dom voice on me," Serina chuckled, seeing right through him, "Why do you want to know?"

Tom shrugged, "As you said, morbid curiosity."

Serina let out a sigh, knowing he wasn't going to drop the subject until he got what he wanted.

"Fine. I'll tell you, but you can't get jealous over it," she said sternly, "It was a long time ago."

"I'll do my best," Tom shot her his best fake smile.

"Dolohov and Avery," she said after a moment.

"Dolo…" Tom stumbled, "Wait...at the same time?"

Serina barked out laughter, "No not at the same time. Bloody hell, Tom."

"Avery's surprising," he raised his brows, "I didn't think the boy had it in him."

"He doesn't," she laughed, "That wasn't a pleasant experience. Dolohov though…"

"I don't need details," Tom held up a hand to stop her, "I wasn't aware he was into women."

"He's had girlfriends," she told him, "I'm pretty sure he was arranged to marry someone at some point. I'm not sure if that ever happened though."

"It didn't," Tom said, "Which is why I was convinced he was gay."

"Well I can assure you he's very much not gay," she stated matter-of-factly.

"When did you fuck Dolohov?" he asked, "I wonder if it was around the same time I was fucking Dolohov."

"It was," she confirmed, "I know for a fact, because we used to exchange stories about you."

"What?" Tom shot her a shocked look.

She chuckled, "Don't worry, it was all good things. You're too bloody good in bed for us to have shitty stories."

"I guess it makes sense," he shrugged, "I remember catching you two chatting in the halls. I never thought it went that far though. I thought you two were just acquaintances."

"It didn't really go far with us," she shrugged, "I mean yea, we fucked, but it was more of a business exchange than anything."

"What sort of exchange?" Tom asked.

"He did my Arithmancy work for me that year," she explained, "What about you? Did you have a deal with Dolohov as well?"

"No," he shook his head, "I just fucked him because I could."

"Then you definitely can't be jealous," she laughed.

"You enjoyed it," Tom stated.

"So did you," she countered, "Besides, I could care less who you fucked before we started dating. It's the ones you messed around with afterwards that bother me."

Tom pushed his empty tray aside, fixing his eyes on the plate in favor of avoiding hers, "I assure you, they are few and far between."

"I doubt that's true," she shook her head, "You're insatiable, and bloody persuasive. I'm sure you've kept yourself busy over the years."

Tom cut his eyes up at her, "Not really. Not many have caught my eye since you. Besides, I'm not as insatiable as I once was. I have considerably more self control."

"Are you sure about that?" she asked, "You threatened my coworker because he considered asking me out on a date."

"That's different," he growled, "He could have taken you from me." 

Serina pushed her empty tray aside as well, closing the gap between them.

"You think he stood a chance against you?" she asked.

Tom opened his mouth to speak, but found himself to be at a loss for words. Until recently, he'd been practically terrified of losing his grasp on her. It seemed like she would slip through his fingers at any moment, and he would be helpless to stop it. Now that she was here, in his house, in his bedroom, wearing his shirt, it felt like all of those fears were unwarranted. Even still, he worried about losing her again. He worried about fucking this up, and her leaving.

"Don't ever leave me again," he whispered, the words escaping his lips before he could process them, and stop himself from sounding so weak.

Serina cupped his cheek in her hand, causing him to lean into her warm touch.

"I won't," she assured him, "as long as you don't give me reason to."

"Come to bed," he added.

"Are we actually sleeping or…" she left the question open.

Tom smiled, glad that she could pull the conversation away from the direction it had begun to turn.

"We're definitely sleeping," he stated, "I'm tired after your exceptional performance, and as I've said, I still haven't woken up beside you yet."

"Why thank you for the compliment, My Lord," she purred.

"Don't use that sub voice on me," Tom smirked, turning her own words against her.

"It's so hard not to," she hummed, "when you're always so good to me."

"Get your arse in bed, and quit trying to seduce me," he growled in return.

"I never thought I'd hear you say that," she chuckled, getting to her feet.

"Trust me, we wouldn't leave this bed all day if you weren't injured from last night," he assured her as he followed her to the bed, "but I'd rather you heal so I can damage you again later."

Serina crawled under the sheets, snuggling in beside him.

"I look forward to later," she told him.

Tom pulled her close, wrapping a possessive arm around her waist, making sure to go easy on her as he did.

"I always look forward to later as long as it involves you," he whispered before placing a kiss on her temple. 

Sleep hung heavy in Tom's eyes, and with Serina's warmth beside him, it didn't take him long to fall back asleep. Surprisingly, Serina wasn't far behind him.


End file.
